Final Montage
by Augusta.Rose
Summary: This is how I always imagined the final montage. It's very similar to the real ending except Marissa didn't die.


**As we all know, the OC ends with a montage to the song 'life is a song' by Patrick Park, which portrays how the character's lives turn out 5 or 6 years down the road. This story is how I've always pictured the series ending. It's very similar to the real ending with the only big difference being that Marissa didn't die. Just pretend for this fic that she went away with her dad as planned. While she was gone, Ryan stills dates Taylor and Summer becomes environmental. Taylor and Ryan break up after he gets the letter from Marissa at Christmas. Kirsten still becomes pregnant and so does Julie except that Neil is the father. The two of them never broke up and, therefore, Julie never dates Frank and Bullit doesn't exist. Marissa comes back to Newport after she hears about the earthquake and she and Ryan decide to give it one more shot and they go to Berkley together. Okay, now on to the story….**

After taking one last look at what was left of the Cohen house Ryan gets onto his Jeep and drives away. (song starts playing)

_You say life is a dream where we can't say what we mean_

_Maybe just some roadside scene that we're driving past_

_There's no telling where we'll be in a day or in a week_

Wearing a Berkley sweatshirt Ryan stands nervously in front of his new school. Marissa, also wearing a sweatshirt (the one she wears at the college bonfire in season 3), stands next to him smiling. She grabs his hand and he smiles back.

_And there's no promises of peace or of happiness_

_Well is this why you cling to every little thing_

_And pulverize and derange all your senses_

Summer and the group of protesters she's leading stand outside a building. She waves her sign and shouts angrily about the cause. A newspaper reporter snaps a photo.

_Maybe life is a song but you're scared to sing along_

_Until the very ending_

_Oh, it's time to let go of everything we used to know_

Seth cuts Summer's picture out of the paper and proudly pins it to his bulletin board. The clipping is stuck next to a drawing of Sandy for Seth's new comic.

_Ideas that strengthen who we've been_

_It's time to cut ties that won't ever free our minds_

_From the chains and shackles that they're in_

Sandy is giving a lecture at Berkley, where he now teaches law. He smiles at his students enthusiastic faces and cracks a joke. He asks a question and is delighted when all the hands shoot up.

_Oh, tell me what good is saying that you're free_

_In a dark and storming sea_

_You're chained to your history, you're surely sinking fast_

Kaitlin sits in a math class at her university. Se loves the school and is getting terrific marks. "X equals 5" she answers. The teacher smiles.

_You say that you know that the good Lord's in control_

_He's gonna bless and keep your tired and oh so restless soul_

_But at the end of the day when every price has been paid_

"Julie Cooper" Julie can't help but grin as her name is called. She, Julie Cooper Nichol Roberts, has a degree! Looking out into the audience she waves and smiles at the sight of her daughters, Kaitlin and Marissa, her husband Neil, and their 4-year-old son screaming and cheering, all of them wearing 'Team Julie' tee-shirts.

_You're gonna rise and sit beside him on some old seat of gold_

_And won't you tell me why you live like you're afraid to die_

_You'll die like you're afraid to go_

Seth stands at the alter nervously. His face breaks into a smile at the sight of his beautiful fiancé Summer walking down the aisle with her father. Summer notices him staring and sticks out her tongue. Seth isn't surprised. He always knew she was a little crazy. Seth looks into the audience and sees his parents in the front row. His little sister Sophie stands between them. Summer takes her place next to Seth and passes her flower bouquet to her maid of honor, Marissa. Ryan, the best man, claps Seth on the shoulder as the vows begin.

_Oh, it's time to let go of everything we used to know_

_Ideas that strengthen who we've been_

_It's time to cut ties that won't ever free our minds_

At the wedding reception Summer is getting ready to toss her bouquet. She assembles all the unmarried women, then turns around, closes her eyes, and throws the flowers as hard as she can. Summer shrieks with joy as she realizes Coop caught the flowers. Ryan and Marissa exchange a smile.

_From chains and shackles that they're in_

_From the chains and shackles that they're in_

_Well life is a dream 'cause we're all walking in our sleep_

Ryan and Marissa walk on the beach, hand in hand. Ryan's stomach flutters nervously as he thinks about what he's about to do. They reach the life guard station, where they spent so much time during their high school days. Ryan takes a deep breath, then gets down on one knee and pulls out a ring. Marissa doesn't say anything. Instead she throws her arms around Ryan's neck and kisses him.

_You could see us stand in lines like we're dead upon our feet_

_And we build our house of cards and then we wait for it to fall_

_Always forget how strange it is just to be alive at all_

Ryan is just leaving the site of his new building. He gets off the phone with his boss and unlocks the car door, eager to get home to his wife and baby daughter. He notices a young boy sitting on a low stone wall looking tired, sad and alone. Ryan remembers a time when he sat on a similar wall with no one and no where to go. Ryan pulls himself back to reality and shuts the car door. Making a decision he calls to the boy; "Hey kid, need any help?"

_(Song ends. Screen fades to black. Credits roll.)_

_**Please Review! This is my first story and anything you have to say will make my day!**_


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